


Sleepless

by Ruquas



Series: Clint Barton Bingo [6]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Awesome Clint Barton, Clint Barton Bingo, Gen, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Insecurity, Light Angst, Not Avengers: Age of Ultron (Movie) Compliant, Not Canon Compliant, Pietro Maximoff Lives, Platonic Cuddling, Platonic Relationships, Sharing a Bed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-10
Updated: 2019-04-10
Packaged: 2020-01-07 15:08:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,838
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18413147
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ruquas/pseuds/Ruquas
Summary: Clint wasn‘t surprised that Pietro didn‘t stay the whole night. He wasn‘t even surprised that the kid waited until the sixth time he slept in Clint‘s bed to crawl under the covers, always careful to avoid any unnecessary body contact. But the fact that the dark rings under his eyes disappeared and that the kid seemed to be more awake during meetings or training left a deep satisfaction in Clint.





	Sleepless

Shivering, he sat in the corner, just watching. Trying to be invisible. Usually, he was good with it but today wasn‘t one of these days. Today was just about them. 

„I didn‘t say that they were having sex, I said it wasn‘t healthy for them to be still sleeping in the same bed and that they would benefit if they slowly started to become independent. And that starts with acting like normal people!“

„To hell, Steve. We‘re all not exactly what people deem to be normal. If they want to share a bed, let them. I mean, you already asked the roadrunner, and Wanda already flipped you off. Do you think you get another answer just because you‘re telling them the same thing every day? I mean, by now I‘m almost inclined to join them!“

They‘ve been the topic of Steve‘s and Mr. Stark's argument for almost two hours. Two long hours where he didn‘t dare to move from his corner where he had been sitting when everything had started. Wanda had been smart, she disappeared. They‘re afraid of her. He wasn‘t as smart as her, hadn‘t seen them early enough to disappear. He couldn‘t do it now, his powers were still weak after the shots. The doctor said he would risk losing them when he used them. He was almost inclined to take the risk when both men turned towards him. Steve pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed.

„Why are you still sitting on the ground, Pietro? You know that you‘re allowed to sit wherever you want.“

„Except on the floor, Captain?“, he asked and almost bit off his tongue afterward. That… had been stupid, no matter how Mr. Stark grinned and gave him thumbs up. Steve decided to ignore the jab.

„Listen, I know you both need to be near the other and that‘s nothing that I want to prevent. But it‘s one thing to let SHIELD think what they want. Another thing what the media and therefore the people we‘re trying to protect are thinking. And they think – and that‘s not what I am thinking – that you‘re two are doing more than sleeping and therefore everyone doubts our integrity. And we cannot let that happen.“

Pietro sighed and shook his head already knowing before Mr. Stark opened his mouth again that they would do what Steve said. They always did what Steve said. He was their handler, the reason they could stay. It wasn‘t Steve‘s fault that American people were used to the luxury that everyone always has their own bed.

 _It will get easier after a while, brother. We will get used to it_ , Wanda‘s voice told him in his head.

~*~*~

It didn‘t get easier. Maybe for Wanda, he didn‘t know. At least she wasn‘t sleeping alone every night. But for him, it was just as difficult as the first night, even after three months. But at least the tiredness got easier.

~*~*~

„You look tired.“

The boy looked up at him, sarcasm as clear in his eyes as the tiredness.

„Really, old man? You don‘t look so hot, either. It‘s late.“

Clint snorted and took the cup of coffee away the boy had in front of him, god knows how much the kid already had. That was Pietro‘s routine after all the last months. Shuffling into the kitchen around two a.m, making a pot coffee, drinking a pot of coffee and then he disappeared again shortly before Sam and Steve came to the kitchen before they went jogging.

„That‘s mine!“, Pietro complained when Clint poured the liquid in the sink.

„Sure, kid. Well, technically it‘s Tony‘s as he bought it, but well, you made it. But you need the sleep and coffee won‘t help you.“

Pietro shrugged, looking back on the counter, half asleep. Clint knew that whatever it was that the kid kept awake, it wasn‘t the coffee.

„Spill it, kid. Why‘re avoiding sleep like the plaque?“

„Don‘t avoid sleep. Avoid loneliness.“, the kid muttered and then flinched. Probably didn‘t want to say that. Clint narrowed his eyes and sat down on the counter. The kid wasn‘t lonely. He shared a floor with Wanda. Sure, sometimes Vision was there, too, but he wasn‘t alone on his floor.

„Care to explain, Pietro?“, Clint asked with the same voice he usually reserved for his children. He didn‘t want to spook the kid or worse, have the kid think he tries to bully an answer out of him. He didn‘t want to lose the kid‘s trust. Or have Wanda feed Clint his own balls. Then a thought hit him. The arguments between Tony and Steve a few months ago were about Pietro and Wanda.

„Some issue with Wanda?“

Pietro shook his head and looked up. He looked younger than his twenty-four years.

„Wanda and I… we never slept apart. Steve thought it wouldn‘t look good for the press or something. It‘s just… I‘m not good with it.“

Clint nodded, still unsure what the younger man meant until it hit him. He nodded again.

„Well, if you want to, my floor isn‘t in lock down or anything like that. And my bed is comfy and big. At least I think so, because I know that I got the most awesome bed in the whole tower. But not tonight. Because we both know that Steve will be here in around thirty minutes and then the day begins.“, Clint said and hopped from the counter, ignoring the confused look on Pietro's face. He knew it would take a bit until Pietro would even really think about it. And it would be nice to have someone to cuddle. He missed Natasha.

~*~*~

„What… what do you want for it?“

Clint pretended that the question didn‘t break his heart three weeks later.

„Why should I want anything?“

„Nothing‘s for free in America.“

Clint also pretended that he didn‘t saw the distrustful look Pietro gave him when he answered that he just missed laying next to someone.

~*~*~

Clint also pretended to be asleep when Pietro came the first time in his bedroom. Not because he wanted to discourage the kid but because of the way he was shaking. He could see it through half closed eyes. Could see the way Pietro looked at the bed, at him. Then the kid shook his head and turned around.

Clint also pretended to be asleep the next four times it happened.

~*~*~

„Just sleeping?“

„I‘m married, kid. Of course, just sleeping.“

„Doesn‘t have to mean anything. Being married.“

If Clint punched a hole through the wall, it was his own business. He would fix it. At least that he could do.

~*~*~

The first time Pietro laid down on the covers next to him, Clint actually had been sleeping. Pietro obviously hadn‘t expected that Clint shot up and pointed a gun on him.

„I… I‘ll go.“, Pietro said, looking almost… sad.

„No. Sorry, you just surprised me. Wouldn‘t it be more comfortable under the covers?“, Clint asked and put the gun back under the pillow.

Pietro hesitated before he laid back down. He didn‘t went under the covers. Clint decided that he would turn up the heat tomorrow evening.

~*~*~

Clint wasn‘t surprised that Pietro didn‘t stay the whole night. He wasn‘t even surprised that the kid waited until the sixth time he slept in Clint‘s bed to crawl under the covers, always careful to avoid any unnecessary body contact. But the fact that the dark rings under his eyes disappeared and that the kid seemed to be more awake during meetings or training left a deep satisfaction in Clint. Even the powers got stronger again. Slowly, but everyone could see it. Even Steve complimented on the obvious improvement Pietro made.

What surprised Clint after several months of sleeping together was the way Pietro carefully inched closer after a mission, almost afraid to move to fast. The kid didn‘t initiate any touch except with his sister, so yes, this was new.

„If you want to cuddle, that‘s okay, too. But I won‘t touch you unless you want it.“, Clint murmured, voice slurring slightly, heavy with sleep. Pietro froze and then, after almost an eternity, nodded.

„That… would be nice. Please.“, Pietro said and then hesitated. Clint could already tell he wouldn‘t like whatever Pietro was going to say next. He still rolled on his side and threw an arm over the younger man‘s chest.

„It would be okay for me. I would let you. I think you would be nice, wouldn‘t hurt me out of spite when doing… that.“, Pietro whispered. Clint sighed and suddenly his arm fell on the mattress. Confused he looked up. Pietro stood at the door, looking unsure.

„Please don‘t be mad, I would never… I… It just feels nice and…“

„Shut it, kid.“, Clint said harshly, even more harshly than he had intended to be.

„As I said, I won‘t touch you unless you want to. That doesn‘t include anything sexual, you understand? I get it, the people that had you and Wanda weren‘t the nicest people on earth and that you both probably had to do whatever got food on the table, but for me, it means something that I‘m married. And even if I wouldn‘t be, I would never, ever force myself on you. It would be nice if you wouldn‘t imply that I‘m the same kind of asshole like those bastards were.“

Pietro just looked at him, eyes wide before nodding slowly. Clint studied Pietro shortly and then lifted the covers a bit.

„Coming back?“

Just as fast as Pietro had been out of bed he was back, carefully pressing himself against Clint. Almost desperate. Clint chuckled and closed his eyes.

And when he woke up and the boy was still there, sleeping, looking as innocent as a child, no one would know, except maybe Wanda.

~*~*~

“You look happy. Somehow.”

Pietro looked up at his sister, who still stirred her coffee without touching the spoon. He nodded.

“Like I said, brother. We get used to it. We always do. He makes you pay somehow?”

He smiled and shook his head. It was true, he wouldn’t mind. He was convinced that Clint would be gentle. But Clint didn’t do anything. Not even when Pietro woke up after a dream and had been hard. Clint had just ignored it. This time it was Wanda’s turn to nod. She stood up and grabbed her coffee.

“Good. He wouldn’t like the consequences.”

Pietro grinned and kissed her cheek before taking the two cups and running back to the bedroom. Clint’s bedroom. Their bedroom. He wasn’t sure. He hadn’t slept alone in almost one year except for a few nights.

“Wake up, old man. Brought coffee.”, Pietro said while settling back  
under the soft covers.

“Coffee?”, the older man asked, blinking at him. Pietro nodded and gave Clint a cup, watching him smile contently.

“Aw, coffee. Love of my life.”, he murmured and took a sip before looking skeptical at Pietro.

“Why do you bring coffee?”

“It’s your turn to change the sheets.”

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the [Clint Barton Bingo on Tumblr](https://clintbartonbingo.tumblr.com/), which can also be found here on AO3.
> 
>  
> 
> You can also [visit my Tumblr](https://ruquas-dreambell.tumblr.com/) or tell me in the comments if you have a request :)


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